Windows 10: Storage Pool deleted external drive and all files

I chose this thread because it's the most recent i could find related to storage pool. I just posted in TechNet but after doing so it looks like that is for technicians. I am just a home user and after a Windows update it added this Storage Pool. As I mention in my note below now that Microsoft pushes updates through I think I have to accept everything. Why did it even push that to me in the first place? Because I have an external drive it sees? I'm disappointed and it looks like I'm going to have to fork out some dough to fix this mishap. Please at the very least offer me a valid data recover program. Thanks.


My computer did an update and this message popped up and of course I do everything Microsoft prompts me to now. Bad mistake. It connected my external WD external drive and wouldn't let me access it. So I tried to remove it and guess what? It deleted all my files. These are precious photos, important files that are on a back up drive for a reason. Now what the hell do I do? System Restore won't bring them back. I searched online and lots of free data recovery programs until you get to a certain size and then it's over $100 to recover them. I'm not even sure these are legitimate programs and will actually do the job for me.

Someone please help me recover my important files. If I have to pay then so be it but, I can guarantee my important files will no longer be connected to a Microsoft product in the future. You want too much control and I was dumb enough to fall for it.

Thanks in advance.

:)

 

Storage pool

I need help. I'm not sure how does the storage pool works. Will my external drive be formatted? Will I lose everything in it?

When I connect my hard drives this is what it shows:

FORMATTED DRIVES

-The following drives might contain files. If you use a formatted drive with a storage pool, Windows permanently deletes all the files on that drive. You can't recover the files by using the Recycle Bin.

 

Using Storage Spaces, unable to add additional external drive to the pool

I currently have two internal drives and an external drive in my storage pool. I want to add an additional external drive, but when I click Add Drive and it takes me to the selection screen, my drive doesn't appear. I can see it in explorer as well as
my device manager. Any suggestions?

 

How do you recover old files /data prior to a Storage Pool (Delete pool is the only option thus far)

I am looking for any suggestions as I have spent nearly 20+ hours working with MS and reading through blogs and creating/deleting storage pools to simulate scenarios.

Basically I had storage pool that had a "Retired" drive and when working with Microsoft they asked me to use a USB drive and attach to existing storage pool to remove the other.

Adding the USB Drive (2 TB w/ 1.5 existing backup data) sorta worked but ended up having to remove the storage pool and recreate.

However the old pool still shows my old drives + the one "OK" good USB Drive that is part of the pool. But the Storage pool is "Red" and has an error of Inaccessible; check the physical drives section and only allows me to delete the pool.

I do NOT want to delete in fear (and tested) that it will remove my USB backup drive from the storage but also make my data inaccessible (data on the drive prior to being part of the pool. 2-way mirror

I purchased data recovery software and scanned the drives and see some of the data but the name/file structure seems a little off and my preference would be to be able to access my original files on the USB (Videos and pictures mainly) and delete the useless
storage pool.

Does anyone know how to access data prior to being part of a storage pool or find a safe way to remove/delete a pool from a s